Not All Who Wander, Print From Jesse Tise
This beautiful illustration from Jesse is part of our ‘Travel Inspiration Collaboration’ series. We’ve collaborated with designers and illustrators around the world to create prints that inspire us to get out there and explore this beautiful world of ours. We sat down with Jesse to learn more about him, his print, and his hometown of South Pasadena, CA.
Check out the interview and exclusive print below!
Love this illustration by Jesse Tise as much as we do? Want one of your own? You are in luck! Check out the collectible print in our shop, available in five sizes!
Name: Jesse Tise
Place you live: South Pasadena
Can you sum up South Pasadena?: Small, but quiet. Maybe not the hippest place, but I grew up here and I wouldn’t live anywhere else. There are lots of green spaces and beautiful craftsman-style houses everywhere. Every year I discover some new side street or cul-de-sac I never noticed before. It’s a good place for night-time walking.
What is your perfect day in South Pasadena? Walking up to Mission St. and grabbing a cup of coffee and a snack from Busters, Heirloom, or La Monarca near the train station after a long stretch at the studio. Either that or blowing off work and lazing around in Garfield Park.
What is the best thing about South Pasadena? It’s a pleasant place to work and live.
What is the worst? Everything shuts down kind of early, like 8 or 9 pm. Forget about a nightlife here.
What would be surprising about South Pasadena to an outsider? Recognizing buildings and landmarks from popular TV shows and films. They do a lot of film shooting here.
If South Pasadena was a person or character, who would it be? Jimmy Stewart: pleasant, but also kind of angry and crotchety too. We have a lot of old people here.
Tell us about your illustration. Why did you choose the phrase ‘Not All Who Wander Are Lost?’ I always remember the J.R.R. Tolkien poem, especially the part in Lord of the Rings when Gandalf describes Strider and Aragorn to Frodo in a letter. I’ve always loved that piece; it’s very timeless and magical. It conjures up so many images of adventure and journeying in my mind’s eye.
Can you give a piece of advice to an aspiring illustrator? One of my teachers at Art Center, Steve Turk, told my class “when in doubt, go to nature”. That’s always stayed with me. Even now, I go outside and take in the world around me when I need inspiration or just don’t feel like working. So much of my pattern and color palette comes from learning about some of the weird flora and fauna that exist out there. Nature is definitely a strong theme in my art.
Who are three of your favorite illustrators right now? There are too many to name, argh!! I’ll just pick a random three people then: Micah Lidberg, Sophia Foster-Dimino and Dadu Shin.
Name:
Jesse Tise
City:
South Pasadena
Favorite place to eat:
Gus’s BBQ
Favorite shop:
Farmer’s Market every Thursday
Must Do:
Hit up Fair Oaks Pharmacy. It has one of the last soda fountains in the country!